A Gawler local is one of a number of South Australians playing key roles in upgrades to Orora’s Gawler-based glass bottle manufacturing plant, which will turn one of its furnaces into one of the most energy efficient in the world.
Project Consultant and former Trinity College student Chris Maiolo is one of several born and bred Gawler locals who are part of a team responsible for construction of a new oxygen plant. When complete, its oxyfuel technology will power a newly rebuilt furnace – increasing its energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions by up to 20 per cent.
Adelaide mechanical engineer Ellie King manages operations at the plant’s glass beneficiation facility in Gawler. It takes used glass bottles and processes them into cullet – “recycled” glass that can be re-melted to produce new glass bottles.
Both projects are critical in ensuring a sustainable future for the plant, benefitting both the local community and the wider industry.
Member for Light, Tony Piccolo MP, visited the $25 million beneficiation facility during its opening in 2022 and returned recently to meet Orora Beverage Glass, Australasia, General Manager Greg Savage and some of the locals driving these important projects.
“The plant is the largest in Australia and ranks among the top ten globally, employing nearly 400 people in South Australia, with the capacity to manufacture up to one billion bottles annually,” Mr Piccolo said.
“Orora is now one of the largest bottle manufacturers in the world. It’s great to know that home grown locals are playing instrumental roles in projects that are important on the world stage, right here in our own region.
“The plant already processes almost all of the recycled glass collected by container deposit schemes in both South Australia and Western Australia and has collection arrangements in place with all other states.”
Mr Savage said the new oxyfuel plant and the beneficiation facility were critical parts of Orora’s sustainability strategy, with recycled content a high priority.
“While recycled glass made up around 49% of new bottles produced in the past year, using more recycled content is vitally important.”
“Using recycled content is more environmentally friendly while it helps us reduce our energy consumption as using recycled glass requires less energy that using raw materials.
“Ellie and the team are working hard to expand our supply and raise awareness of recycling. We’re pleased that we have a local MP helping to raise awareness and we’re thankful to Tony for his support.”
Mr Piccolo encouraged locals to do their bit to help the plant by ensuring they recycled their disused glass products properly.
“Always use the correct kerbside bins or your nearest container deposit scheme drop-off point. You’re helping Orora’s Gawler plant, you’re helping the environment and most importantly you’re helping the community.”
This upgrade, along with upgrades to the glass beneficiation facility, are undertaken in partnership with Origin Energy under the South Australian government’s Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme to support projects which improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The two projects will deliver energy savings of about $18 million over 10 years, calculated on the average costs of REPS projects.
With the upgrades across the plant set to complete in the coming months, Orora is set to progress well towards its primary goal of reaching 60% recycled content in new glass bottles by 2025. The rebuilt furnace and oxygen-fuel plant will also help Orora meet its emissions reduction target (for Scope 1 and 2 emissions) of 40% by 2035 and net zero by 2050.